In past newsletters we’ve had manufacturers answer a series of questions about kayaks and paddles. In this issue we’ll turn our attention to Immersion wear: wetsuits and drysuits.

1. How should a kayaker determine when immersion wear should be worn?

Experienced friends that paddle in similar conditions can help advise. A general rule most of us follow is based on proficiency and conditions. If you cannot roll your boat and stay in it when the water is cold, a drysuit is excellent insurance for comfort and safety. The Stohlquist bPOD is an innovative drysuit solution that provides all-day comfort with a comfortable waterproof neck seal, without the irritation and skin scarring of the conventional latex neck gasket.

--Jim Stohquist, Stohlquist WaterWare
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Except for the dog days of summer, I can’t imagine why most paddlers wouldn’t choose to wear an immersion suit. One piece suits are incredibly comfortable these days and are available in different weight fabrics, so relegating them to only challenging conditions misses a lot of opportunities to have a simple step-in and zip-it-up piece when going paddling.

The use of neoprene instead of latex gaskets at the neck has broadened the possibilities for using immersion suits. The immersion suits with neoprene at the neck certainly do not belong in challenging conditions where paddlers face any chance of being thrashed about by waves and such. But for folks in benign conditions who need to hop in and out of boats, these “semi-dry” suits are a godsend.

Of course, there are always the safety issues that dictate when an immersion suit MUST be worn. Paddlers must protect themselves from water temperatures that are anything less than a temperature at which they can swim comfortably for at least thirty minutes. Other factors like air temperature, water movement, fatigue and dehydration must also be considered in making what should be a very conservative decision to protect one’s self against the elements.

--Shelley Johnson, MTI Adventurewear
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I’d throw this question back and say that with modern suits the question might really be: When shouldn’t an immersion suit be worn?

In general, the perception of immersion suits has changed over the last few years from items that were either the province of working professionals or those wanting extreme protection in super hostile environments. Nowadays the fact that so many suits are fully articulated and dynamic means that there is no reduction in the range of movement and so no limit to the use they can be put to.

Couple this with the variety of different layering systems available for wear under the suit to allow moisture vapor to transit to the suit fabric, then the range of seasons a suit can work is now 3+ rather than the 1 or 2 of five or six years ago.

I would say the limitation is perhaps if you expect to be able to paddle without a paddle jacket for any duration during a trip then you may find a suit more limited. If, on the other hand, conditions may vary and you’ll want to stay dry and protected, get suited up!

--Andy Knight, Palm
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Obviously the biggest factor in determining whether someone should be wearing very specific paddling gear or not, is if there is a risk of hypothermia. If you are paddling in nice climates with warm water and there is no risk of freezing to death, then comfort and your budget are the only guidelines. There is a very general rule of thumb that if the air temp and water temp add up to less than 100, then you need to start thinking about gearing up appropriately to remain safe. While this is not a scientific law by any stretch, it at least gives paddlers some idea of when to start considering hypothermia. This would of course be an even more serious consideration if you are either paddling a long way from land, or if you are in a remote location where you couldn't get warm relatively quickly if you got wet. In these kinds of paddling situations- where you might be cold and either completely in the water or soaking wet for any extended period of time- you simply must have gear that will address that. At the threshold of these situations, where you might be wet and chilled, good synthetic layering with wind protection (like a shell or paddle jacket) might be adequate. But beyond that, a drysuit or wetsuit must be considered.

--Immersion Research
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The guiding principle at Kokatat is “Dress for the Swim, Not the Weather”. A paddler may never end up in the water, but is always safest to dress for just such an occasion. To determine whether immersion wear should be worn on any given trip, a reliable gauge used by professionals is as follows: if the water temperature is below 50 degrees or if the combined air/water temperature is below 100 degrees, then immersion wear should be donned. Other considerations and reasons to err on the side of caution are the following: solo paddling, unknown waters, weather reports, or lack of experience and training.

--Kokatat
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First, let us say there are no hard-and-fast rules for determining this. If life were that simple there’d probably be a foolproof formula for making a killing in the stock market! That being said, there are guidelines that can help paddlers, especially those beginning in the sport, make safe choices.

Factors to consider can loosely be broken into two categories. There are external ones like air and water temperature, weather and water conditions and the distance you’re paddling from a safe landing site. Then there are the internal ones, like the skill level of yourself and paddling partners, knowledge of local conditions and ability to self rescue.

Air and water temperatures are very important things to consider. One solid rule-of-thumb is “dress for the swim.” Water is over 20-times more efficient than air at conducting heat away from your body. If you do go in the drink inadequately protected, you can be in trouble in even moderately cold water.

U.S. Coast Guard regulations require that their small boat crews must wear anti-exposure suits in water temperatures below 60ºF. The suits are waterproof garments that cover most of the body, provide flotation and use neoprene or other material to provide insulation. When water temperatures drop below 50ºF, these boat crews are required to wear drysuits: waterproof garments that seal at neck, wrists and feet (either with gaskets or built in socks) and keep insulating under layers dry.

Weather and water conditions can play an important part in your decision about what to wear. Paddling on calm water presents much less likelihood of a swim than high seas, strong winds and opposing tides. Distance you’re paddling from a safe landing site is also important to consider. If you do get wet and cold, but can readily reach land, change to dry garments, wait out a blow or get help, you’re much safer than if you’re making a long water crossing with no nearby land.

The internal factors are as important as the external ones. Your skill level, and that of your paddling partners, in boat control and rescue techniques is vital in the decision making process. Knowledge of local conditions is also essential for your safety. Knowing how quickly waves can come up, how tides influence a crossing, fog and reef concerns give you an extra measure of safety and confidence.

At NRS, when we talk to a customer about what immersion apparel they should buy, we do our best to determine what kind of conditions they’re paddling in and what their skill level is. Frankly, it’s unfair to ask us to make what can be a life-or-death decision for you. What we can do, and do the best job we know how, is to inform you about the various choices and help you make good ones.

On what type of immersion apparel to wear, we’ll often refer you to an article on our website, Layering for Cold Water Boating. It covers the range of choices, from base layers like rashguards of synthetic and wool fiber, to insulating layers like heavier synthetic and wool garments and neoprene wetsuit pieces, to outer layers of waterproof, breathable fabrics in splash wear, semi-dry wear (usually with a punch-through neoprene neck instead of a latex gasket) and dry wear (with latex gaskets or waterproof socks at all openings).

The safest, most versatile system is dry wear, either a full drysuit or a dry top/dry pant combination. You can add and subtract insulating inner layers and if the suit material has a breathable membrane or coating, it keeps those layers dry and preserves their insulating properties. Some say, “But it’s more expensive.” The flip, but true, reply is “It’s a lot cheaper than a funeral.” With dry wear, paddling can be a year round sport, in the harshest climates. Semi-dry wear is almost as effective. The punch-through neck is not as dry as a latex gasket, but it’s more comfortable to some boaters.

Another choice for immersion wear is neoprene wetsuit pieces. They are made to fit snug, to keep water away from your skin. The air bubbles in the closed cell foam provide insulation from the cold. The little water that enters the garment is warmed by your body. Neoprene doesn’t breathe and its close fit makes it somewhat restrictive. It can be effective protection in all but the harsher conditions. Wearing splashwear over your wetsuit helps eliminate the evaporative cooling you can get from wetted outer wetsuit fabric.

Whatever system you use, don’t forget to protect your extremities. Many experts say up to 50% of our heat loss is from the head. Neoprene skull caps and wool and synthetic beanies limit that loss. Neoprene gloves and booties keep cold at bay in those areas.

To help you determine the best system for your immersion protection, talk to local boaters, join a boating club, ask knowledgeable local retailers, check with the Coast Guard or state marine agency. Or give us a call at NRS. We’re boaters too and we love to talk boating!

--NRS
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The best advice is for any kayaker to wear immersion wear, in the general and all encompassing sense, which includes wetsuits, splash/wind wear, etc., whenever you have the potential of being immersed in any water that is less than 98.6°F. What kind of immersion wear will depend on the temperature of the water, the weather, and the potentially longest length of time you could possibly be immersed in water, or seriously exposed to the elements. Plan for the worst-case scenario.

Wearing a drysuit should be the first and most highly recommended option whenever you are kayaking in any large body of water where the water temperature is less than 80-85° F, or where you are kayaking in any water that is less than 70 degrees. This may go against our natural inclination that 80 degree water feels like bath water. However, if you are offshore and you lose your kayak, or your kayak has flooded, you will quickly lose body heat in even 85 degree water.

If you are concerned that you will build up too much heat and sweat from paddling, you can mitigate this by choosing a waterproof/breathable fabric drysuit that will transmit water vapor out, and by selecting and layering your thermal wear (undergarments) to match your anticipated activity. Start with your best choice of layers for your anticipated thermal protection needs, and bring a couple of additional pieces in a drybag, that can be layered for additional warmth.

O.S. Systems, Inc. makes drysuits almost exclusively. The term "immersion wear" can literally mean any garment that provides any incremental measure of thermal protection when used in a water immersion situation. We will primarily focus all answers on waterproof/breathable drysuits— full body garments designed to keep the wearer dry when immersed in water. We also make many waterproof/non-breathable drysuits. We have four different drysuit use and care manuals on our web site, www.ossystems.com. Please review these manuals for much more information.

--OS SYSTEMS
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2. Do you believe immersion wear is underutilized by kayakers? If so, how do you convince people to suit up?

Maybe, but it’s always better to ensure your enjoyment by being comfortable, and free from worry of exposure to the dangers of the cold.

--Jim Stohquist, Stohlquist WaterWare
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Immersion wear is sorely underutilized by kayakers. Sticker shock may be part of the problem and the stigma of latex gaskets, especially at the neck, may keep some paddlers from considering immersion suits. When you consider that you are purchasing a technical piece of clothing that is also an indispensable piece of safety gear the price doesn’t look that formidable. I also think that once you realize that you can use your immersion suit in a wide variety of conditions, not just those on the brutal end of the range, the price becomes more palatable.

I think the key is to show paddlers how comfortable and simple an immersion suit can be. You can vary your layering system underneath the suit (I’ve even stepped out of mine to go to a nice dinner at a waterfront restaurant!) for a wide variety of conditions and the integral socks are absolutely the best way to keep your feet warm and cozy since they remain dry. Being able to try on immersion suits without the neck gaskets (some dealers offer this service) is helpful since latex neck gaskets may need to be stretched or trimmed before they become comfortable.

From a safety standpoint the arguments to use an immersion suit are compelling---you remain dry and protected from water temperatures and the loss of heat from your body that can lead to hypothermia (layers inside the suit can add protection also). I think the industry has been consistent with this message and paddlers get it. But then they convince themselves that they won’t actually find themselves in challenging conditions or even in the water! Sheer folly on their part.

--Shelley Johnson, MTI Adventurewear
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Our Torrent model has already caused quite a revolution for (predominantly white water) paddlers. It’s designed to offer unrestricted movement, just like a combination set, but have all the advantages of being dry and protected top to toe. Products like this and other designs such as the Aleutian are offering greater opportunities for wearing a suit to paddle in regularly and so the economy of scale for the purchaser is much better.

Many paddlers are not accustomed to latex seals so we have started to offer our new Silver model with a neoprene neck. It is designed for open boaters and kayak fishermen who might find themselves immersed but not so likely to be in high pressure water situations where a latex seal is needed. The advantages are that the neoprene is fantastically comfortable for those who would not be used to the restrictive feel of latex and to avoid the soreness it can develop especially in saltwater conditions.

With drysuits there is also the added convenience that they are quick to get on and off, I mean you wouldn’t see James Bond wriggling out of a set of separates in his dinner jacket would you!

--Andy Knight, Palm
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Well, as a wholesaler we don't see the end consumer too much. The retailer that sells our product is the one we hope would be making sure that the customer is buying the gear that is not only safe, but appropriate for the amount of paddling he or she is doing.

I think that for the most part, though, good gear really enhances the paddling experience, and especially in lousy weather, it sells itself.


--Immersion Research
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The use of immersion wear has been increasing since Kokatat started manufacturing in the 70’s, but awareness of its importance has seen exponential growth in the last ten years. Better education, instruction and the availability of quality gear has led to this. Unfortunately, there are still fatalities due to cold shock, hypothermia and other dangers, but to say that this is a result only of not being properly dressed, would not be accurate.

As far as convincing people to dress appropriately, Kokatat sales reps and retailers conduct “cold-water workshops” in which consumers can experience first-hand the difference while wearing a drysuit relative to other paddling attire. Paddling or jumping into cold water while wearing a drysuit and proper insulation is the best way to understand the difference in comfort. Kokatat also provides demonstration suits to consumers interested in purchasing a drysuit; these are available on a first come, first served basis and inquiries should be made through a local retailer.

--Kokatat
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Half of the fun in boating is making sure you are comfortable while paddling! Beginning kayakers may be poorly prepared for cold weather/water paddling because they haven’t been educated on the features and benefits of protective garments and not yet invested in the proper apparel. For beginners who are feeling out the sport, borrow a friend’s gear or rent from an outfitter. This would be a great way to really see how much more enjoyable cold weather paddling can be when you are dry and comfortable.

Convincing boaters to suit up is a matter of education about the dangers of hypothermia and the benefits of protective clothing. Publications like Sea Kayaker reach a lot of boaters with these messages. It’s also important for manufacturers like NRS to help in spreading the word. We do that one-on-one with customers and in regular safety articles in our email newsletter, the NRS e-News.

--NRS
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Is immersion wear underutilized by kayakers? ABSOLUTELY! How do we convince people to suit up? EDUCATION AND TRAINING!

Every training agency, every kayak dealer, every sales person who sells kayaks should be advising customers always to suit up in adequate immersion wear. Every kayak purchase should include an educational and training class where the need for, and the benefits of, the various immersion wear options are explained. Buyers should undergo in-water training, in a controlled setting, where they are exposed to the chilling and dangerous effects of inadequate immersion wear. One dealer I know requires each sea kayak purchaser to attend an open water session, in a protected bay, but where the water is ocean temperature. Instructors are present for training and safety. These buyers must practice rolling and righting their kayaks, numerous times. After several sequences, buyers begin to personally appreciate how quickly the cold water affects the paddler. This dealer emphatically recommends that each buyer buy a drysuit before ever taking their kayak out in any ocean or large body of water.

--OS SYSTEMS
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